How To Create the Perfect Fall Travel Capsule Wardrobe
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Are you counting down the days until it is officially fall? Is everyone? Personally, I have already started thinking about all of the fall travel plans I have this year. Fall is one of my favorite times to travel, and I have a few trips planned for September, October, and November. I can’t wait to share these with you! I’m already starting to think about the clothes I’m going to pack on each of these trips. To help me think about packing, I started putting together a 15 piece fall travel capsule wardrobe. It’s got a handful of pieces that are versatile enough to create fall travel outfits that will take me from city weekend escapes to soaking up the last few warm days in the mountains.
- The Perfect Fall Travel Capsule Wardrobe for 2023
- What is a Capsule Wardrobe?
- Tips For Creating a Fall Travel Capsule Wardrobe
- 15 Piece Fall Travel Capsule Wardrobe for 2023
- The 15 Must-Have Pieces for Fall Travel
- Fall Travel Shoes and Accessories
- TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
- Fall Travel Accessories
- How to Pack Your Autumn Capsule Wardrobe
The Perfect Fall Travel Capsule Wardrobe for 2023
My travel capsule wardrobe for autumn getaways includes a handful of pants, tops, dresses, shoes and accessories that I can mix and match to create a ton of different looks. This year I’m excited to feature a new brand…..I can’t wait to tell you more!
With a few key pieces from my capsule wardrobe as part of my travel essentials for women, it’s so much easier to pack! And I can also help if you’re looking for eco friendly travel clothes or need to know what to wear on long haul flights.
In this post, I’ll walk you through exactly how to put together the perfect fall travel capsule wardrobe, so that you can build the perfect travel outfit, one piece at a time. Once you have your fall packing list all set, you’ll be ready for an amazing autumn getaway!
In a hurry? Jump straight to the capsule here.
What is a Capsule Wardrobe?
What’s a capsule wardrobe, you ask? It’s a small collection of clothing pieces that complement one another, and can be mixed and matched in multiple ways to create a ton of different outfits.
I love a good capsule wardrobe, and in the past, I’ve written posts about a capsule wardrobe for travel in Europe, and also a women’s professional capsule wardrobe.
Why are Capsule Wardrobes Great for Travel?
Capsule wardrobes are perfect for travel! Having a small, well-curated collection of travel clothes allows you to pack efficiently, but still have the clothes, shoes, and accessories that you need for all of the activities you have planned during your trip.
Tips For Creating a Fall Travel Capsule Wardrobe
Let’s start with a few tips for creating your fall travel capsule wardrobe.
Start with a Single Color Palette
First, start with a single color palette, and try to group your pants, shoes, and jackets around this color palette. In this post, I’ve used black, camel and olive green as my palette, but there are plenty of color palette options that will work.
When you work with a single color palette, it’s so much easier to create outfits that can be mixed and matched.
Pack Pieces You can Layer
Second, although fall is a great time to travel, the weather can often be unpredictable. You never know if you’ll end up with an early snowfall, or with one of the last warm days of the year.
Assembling a capsule wardrobe that has versatile pieces you can layer will help you be prepared for changes in weather, but make sure to check the weather forecast before you think about packing, and then again just before you leave.
If it’s going to be cold where you’re heading, check out my winter travel capsule wardrobe for more inspiration!
And if it’ll be warmer where you’re heading, use my spring travel capsule wardrobe instead.
Pack Reversible Clothes
Finally, if you really want to maximize your capsule wardrobe, try including some reversible clothing for travel options! Getting two looks from one piece of clothing will add yet another dimension to your capsule wardrobe.
Plan Your Outfits Ahead of Time
My best advice for assembling a capsule wardrobe is to plan ahead! Planning is always the best place to start. Think about the activities you’ll be doing on your trip, and what you want to wear for each one.
To help with this, I created a free printable travel outfit planner. It will help you figure out exactly what to bring for each day of your trip!
Download a Free Travel Outfit Planner!
Download, edit and print this travel outfit planner to organize your travel wardrobe in minutes!
Now, let’s start putting everything together!
15 Piece Fall Travel Capsule Wardrobe for 2023
I am so excited to share this year’s fall travel capsule wardrobe with you! And we’ve got some reeeeeeally good stuff this season.
I can’t wait to tell you more about it and show you how I’m styling these 15 pieces into TONS of different outfit combos that are perfect for your fall getaway. But first….here ya go:
Tops: scoop neck tee | cropped tank | cashmere sweater tee | smocked blouse
Sweaters: cashmere v-neck | cashmere black fisherman sweater | black tank dress | washable silk dress
Pants: black straight-leg | green wide-leg | washable silk skirt | cargo pants
Outer layers: leather blazer | oversize cashmere cardigan | plaid shacket
All About the Fall Capsule Wardrobe
Guess what? All 15 of these fall capsule pieces are from a single brand. Yep, I’ve found a new go-to for travel clothes shopping and I am sooooo excited to share it with you.
I recently discovered Quince and IMMEDIATELY fell in love with all of their pieces. Quince makes high-quality wardrobe essentials that are a fraction of the price of similar pieces.
As in $50 for an ultra-soft and cozy Mongolian cashmere sweater. I kid you not. All of the fabrics are extremely packable, and what’s more – they won’t fall apart after one trip.
It is so easy to build an entire capsule using Quince’s pieces because they’re so easy to mix and match. The outfits practically create themselves. Don’t believe me? I decided to try it and show you how!
You guys, I was seriously blown away by everything I tried from the brand.
I couldn’t wait for my first fall trip to take my Quince capsule wardrobe for a spin, so I’ve already started wearing everything.
Check it out…..I might be in my backyard now, but isn’t this going to look cute in Europe this fall?
In case you need more reasons to get excited about Quince, their pieces are made using sustainable, ethical practices and you have 365 days to make any returns. Again, you read that correctly: a whole year!
The 15 Must-Have Pieces for Fall Travel
Let’s take a deeper dive into each piece in the capsule. I’ll explain why I included each piece in the capsule, and give you ides for how to style each one.
I can't get enough of this washable silk dress! It's lightweight and easy to pack, and it can be dressed up or down with a simple change of shoes. I washed it in my machine and it came out looking just as beautiful as new. One of my favorite staples!
This tank dress is the ultimate versatile travel wardrobe staple! The stretchy tencel fabric makes it super comfortable, and the ribbed texture keeps things interesting. Pair it with a leather jacket and heels at night, or with sneakers and another layer during the daytime.
I have been wearing this NONSTOP since it joined my closet. It's the perfect complement to high-waisted pants and skirts! It's got enough structure and interest to wear on its own, but also pairs perfectly under any jacket, blazer, or sweater.
The elusive perfect white t-shirt....I found it! Quince's tee is the perfect essential for your travel wardrobe: you can't beat the price for a top of this quality, and I love that the scoop neckline makes it more elegant and unique than your average crewneck.
There's nothing more polished than a cashmere tee. Pair it with any bottoms and you'll instantly be ready for a meeting, dinner, or just exploring. You truly cannot get better value for your money than with Quince's cashmere pieces!
This blouse can be dressed up or down, making it the perfect piece to pack for business travel, or if your trip includes some nice dinner plans. The length hits in just the right place for it to pair beautifully with any high-waisted bottoms.
You read that correctly. This cashmere sweater from Quince is $50. The fabric is ultra-soft and it's even cozier than cashmere sweaters that I paid waaaaay more for. You can't go wrong with this one!
If it is possible to fall in love with a sweater, that just happened to me. The cozy cashmere fabric and the texture of this sweater make it hard to believe that it's less than $90. I think I'll be getting one in every color!
These. Pants. Are. So. Comfortable!!! It's not often you meet a pant that feels like a legging....but that you can wear to the office. These are those pants! They're super stretchy and come in multiple inseam lengths so you can choose the hem length that fits you best.
Meet your new favorite neutral color, olive green. These pants pair perfectly with everything from a t-shirt to a dressy blouse and ankle boots. They've got structure but the stretchy fabric makes them super comfy. I love the back pockets, too!
The deep green color of this washable silk skirt is absolutely gorgeous. Wear it with a t-shirt and sneakers for daytime, or ankle boots and a blouse at night. It hits at the perfect length and skims your body in all the right places, too.
For a lightweight and comfy alternative to jeans, check out these cargo pants! The high waist and built-in belt makes them perfect for an airplane outfit. I love that you can easily dress them up with heels and a cute top, too.
Every capsule wardrobe needs a statement piece, and this leather blazer is the perfect choice! Throw it on over a dress, a t-shirt, or a sweater and jeans for instant polish.
Sweaters don't come any cozier than this one! And I cannot get over how reasonably priced this is, especially for Mongolian cashmere. I'm going to be living in this all season!
For a casual layering piece, this stretchy fleece sweater shirt adds some interest to your outfit with a neutral pattern. The cozy fabric can easily layer over both pants or a dress, or wear it buttoned up with a skirt or jeans.
Fall Travel Shoes and Accessories
Last, finish off your fall packing list with shoes!
I always recommend bringing only two pairs of shoes on any trip. Wear one on the plane, and pack the second pair in your suitcase.
If you want to pack carry-on only, it’s important to travel with just two pairs of shoes because shoes can take up a ton of space! Wearing one pair of shoes and packing the second will help you pack efficiently.
I styled this fall travel capsule wardrobe with some comfy kitten-heel ankle boots and versatile sneakers. Pro tip: wear the boots on the days you’re in transit because they’re the biggest!
Tote Bags and Purses
Every wardrobe needs the perfect handbag! A simple black tote bag and a smaller convertible crossbody bag will pair perfectly with this capsule, and you can style them a million different ways as I’ve shown in the examples above.
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TRAVEL ESSENTIALS
Ready to jet-set with ease? Discover my favorite travel products for your ultimate passport to stress-free adventures!
Add the Finishing Touches to Your Fall Travel Wardrobe
For finishing touches on your capsule wardrobe, I recommend adding a cozy scarf and some simple jewelry.
If you’re heading somewhere warm this fall, build your travel wardrobe with my favorite affordable resort wear for 2023, or check out my summer travel capsule wardrobe.
How to Pack Your Autumn Capsule Wardrobe
Now that you’ve got your capsule wardrobe all set, it’s time to pack! To show you how much space you can save by using a capsule wardrobe, I packed up all 15 pieces in one of Quince’s chic carry-on suitcases.
First, roll all of your clothes up and place them on the side of the suitcase that has the compression panel.
Then, layer the compression panel over your clothes, and use the straps to tighten the panel. This capsule wardrobe fits so easily in the suitcase that I didn’t even have to do much compressing.
Then, use the other side of the suitcase for your shoes, bags, and toiletries. Basically, anything that won’t compress.
Zip up that side of the suitcase using the mesh panel, add a tote bag and their chic leather blazer, and you’re ready for airport style!
I have some business travel coming up this fall and I can’t wait to take this fall travel capsule wardrobe on the road with me!
I hope this post has helped inspire you to create your own fall travel capsule wardrobe using elevated basics from Quince. Have a favorite fall piece? Let me know in the comments below!
Disclosure: thank you to Quince for providing these fall travel capsule wardrobe pieces. All opinions are my own.
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- Carry on packing list
- Travel outfit
- Pre-travel checklist
Thank you. I really enjoyed reading your suggestions and dividing them up on seasons. I don’t wear tennis shoes, but for walking wear sturdy SAS laced black or mocha for support. I don’t pack them. I also take a pair of sandals, black or brown and a light black dress shoe. Three pair is my limit. I have a special place in my luggage for underware and pajamas that I can go to easily. I always use packing cubes and roll my clothes except pants that I place in the bottom of my case. I pack three pair, and wear one pair for a total of four. One of those pairs is a black Pizarro for dress and is very light weight. Thanks again for your articles and advice. I feel I’m close to being right on target . How about advice for men? I pack for my husband also and their clothes take up more space.
Hi Marjean,
Thanks so much for your comment and for stopping by my blog! It sounds like you’re a pretty savvy packer and have found a capsule wardrobe that works really well for you – that’s terrific.
I completely agree that men’s clothes tend to be bulkier, which can make packing light more of a challenge. I don’t currently have any men’s capsule wardrobes or specific men’s packing tips on the blog, but I’ve thought about doing something like this in the future. So it is very helpful to know that this would be useful – thank you! Stay tuned for more to come 🙂
Cheers,
Jessica